What's Next for Information World Mapping?: International and Multidisciplinary Uses of the Method

Abstract

As use of arts-involved and data visualization methods increases in information science, it is important to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of various methods. In this 90-minute panel, an international lineup of information researchers will share their experiences using the participatory, visual elicitation technique information world mapping (IWM) in their work. Panelists will discuss ways to adapt the technique to different contexts, share their thoughts on what is next for IWM, and raise questions regarding challenges and new uses of IWM in information research. Presentations will be followed by an interactive discussion among panelists and Q&A period with the audience.

What is next for information world mapping? International and multidisciplinary approaches to understanding information behaviors/practices in context

“…These major findings contribute to the IWM literature by identifying and further describing additional advantages of using the method beyond those initially identified by Greyson et al ( , 2021. The authors' various applications of IWM also identified several potential challenges.…”

“…Mabi observed that ceding control meant accommodating participants' (generally women's) multitasking, as they performed culturally expected roles in the home such as childcare. Seeing this multitasking occur added additional context to the research, enriching the data collected (Greyson et al, 2021).…”

“…For instance, Martzoukou observed global messages in Syrian New Scots' maps, such as the use of the sun to symbolize hope. Martzoukou posited that these messages signified participants' efforts to effectively get their message across and increase societal awareness of their lived experiences (Greyson et al, 2021).…”

“…In that case, situational analysis may be a valuable way to gather new insights by looking at the data from different perspectives and constantly asking new questions. In either case, all researchers observed that viewing the maps in conversation with the interview data was more productive, even when performing situational analysis (Greyson et al, 2021).…”

“…Studies using the method have been published by researchers in Taiwan (e.g., Tsai, 2021), Canada (e.g., Greyson & Bettinger, 2017;Mabi, 2020), Scotland (Martzoukou & Burnett, 2018), and the United States (e.g., Kitzie et al, 2021) applying this method. Varying topics researched include family caregiving (e.g., Dalmer, 2017), LGBTQIA+ health information access (e.g., Kitzie et al, 2021), refugee resettlement (e.g., Martzoukou & Burnett, 2018), and student learning trajectories (Greyson et al, 2021). Diverse fields such as public health, education, aging studies, and information science situate these studies.…”